Cathedral Catholic High School’s boys basketball topples La Jolla High, 66-36

By Michael Ragovin

The Cathedral Catholic High School Dons of Carmel Valley and the La Jolla High Vikings took to the hardwood at the Vikings’ gym on Feb.14. It wasn’t pretty, and on the scoreboard, 66-36, it looked really bad. There are no excuses, however, let’s look at what actually caused this lopsided loss.

Cathedral got the opening tip and scored first on a jumper from inside the key. La Jolla got the ball back but Zach Ohara missed from the corner. Two minutes went by before Cathedral made another jumper for the second score of the game and it was 4-0 Cathedral.

The Dons scored twice more on Vikings’ turnovers before David McColl got La Jolla on the board with a layup at 3:50 remaining in the first period.

Then, La Jolla missed from underneath and Cathedral made a 3-pointer that put the Dons ahead by nine: 11-2. Cathedral blocked a shot under the Viking basket and turned it into two points on a fast break. With 2:44 left in the first period it was 13-2, Dons’.

Ohara made a 3-pointer and Cathedral scored on a fast break layup resulting from a steal. Another three ball by Ohara and a free throw by Cathederal and the first period ended with Cathedral out front 16-8.

The Viking’s McColl went up for two and missed to start the second period. He got two free throws and made one. The Dons followed with a 3-pointer and a layup off of another steal and the score was 21-9. A fast break by Cathedral extended their lead 23-9.

Tyson Young hit Daniel Farkas under the basket, who put it up and in. Add a free throw and at the 5:30 mark, it was 23-12 Cathedral. La Jolla did not score another point in the period and the Dons ran off 16 straight to finish the second period with the Dons leading 39-12.

The scoring in the third period opened on a 3-pointer by Cathedral followed by a Matt Needham jumper and two free throws by the Dons. At 6:44 of the third period, the score was 42-16. An interception of a Viking in-bound pass resulted in a Cathedral layup and two more points. Farkas drove to the basket for two, Cathedral made a free throw and Ohara knocked down another three.

The Vikings had a 47-21 game with 4:21 left in third. Farkas was fouled on the way to the basket and made both free throws. The Dons made a jumper and a 3-pointer and the Vikings were looking up at a 52-33 Dons’ lead. McColl made two free throws and Cathedral made two free throws to end the third period 56-25, Cathedral.

The fourth period scoring opened with Marco Lopez putting one in from underneath with a free throw for a three-point play making it a 56-28 lead for the Dons. Farkas converted an offensive rebound with a free throw and it was another three-point play for La Jolla. The Vikings added a free throw and at 6:34, the score was 56-32. La Jolla had scored seven straight.

Cathedral came back with a free throw and a fast break basket to increase their lead, 59-32. Cathedral then scored six straight before Needham made two free throws. The Dons made another free throw and the game ended 66-36.

Excluding the second period and taking a look at the first, third and fourth, Cathedral scored 43 points and La Jolla 32. The break down came in second period when Cathedral scored 23 points and La Jolla only 3.

In addition, I counted 21 La Jolla turnovers leading to 24 Cathedral points. Also, La Jolla missed 12 shots under the basket giving up an additional 24 points. Give credit where credit is due. Cathedral played a strong defensive game.